. We need new opportunities. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. Meeks, who plans to stay involved with Hope of House, Salems philanthropic organization, is one of the latest longtime U.S. church leaders to step down. Charlie Dates Returns to the Chicago Church that Shaped Him While continuing to lead Progressive Baptist, the 41-year-old pastor was named the successor to James Meeks at Salem Baptist. My response to the above is that that kind of filling of your personal needs, i.e. If you have legal questions, attorneys will be available to help you at the legal clinic. To invite Dr. Meeks called Dates the greatest preacher in our nation. And Saddleback Church founder Rick Warren is retiring this September. Could you describe your relationship with Meeks? But there are others who sit close to power within the SBC and who are silent against the racism that plagues their own congregations. If you sense the malaise around Christian denominations, then you already yearn for a new vision and a new standard. Great! Dr. Charlie Dates became the youngest senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago in 2011 at age 30. But the bones are good. "We believe now that the time has come for us to step aside, for us to yield to new younger leadership," Meeks said. SBC events and church planting have grown more diverse over the past decade as leaders made a concerted effort to feature and invest in non-Anglo pastors. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. His wife Kirstie also followed up to pray with me and further encourage me. Please click here to learn how. They would not. I think part of this is connected to what attracted me to Salem Baptist. The pastor of Progressive at the time, his name was Reverend T. Brown, he was such a dynamic leader in the city that he was able to tell [former Chicago mayor] Richard J. Daley, No. And live to tell about it. How did they, who in 2020 still dont have a single Black denominational entity head, reject once and for all a theory that helps to frame the real race problems we face? They are selectively conservative. Calling him "the greatest young preacher in our nation today," Rev. I think the distinction is that I can serve Salem well by loving her through the preaching ministry and pastoral care, and she will follow. Its not making me feel good; warm and fuzzy. 11,909 were here. Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church - Chicago . He continued his education with a Master of Divinity and a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. There is a HUGE problem with adoring a pastorany pastor, even a truly great one. As I am contemplating leaving my current evangelical church, Progressive is on my list of places Im considering and praying about for a new church home, and a lot of it is due to the Dates family. I go where God leads me not Charlie Dates. CT interviewed him about the history of the two congregations and his call to lead Salem Baptist. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. They are to us what the Electoral College is to the United States: a body that no longer produces what it originally promised. When I came back home to Southwestern, I even encouraged other ministers to do the same. We need new ideas. I had the privilege of not only hearing him preach as a guest speaker at my church, but also meeting him after a singles event hosted by Progressive. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of "Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse" by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Pastor Charlie Dates speaks at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. I recognize this moment is big, and its watershed, but it is not about me. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. As a highly sought-after speaker, he is widely invited to preach at churches and speak at retreats, conferences, and universities throughout the United States and abroad. Perhaps you are taking on a worldly definition of love? In all that, he can never be criticized within his ranks. In accepting the role, Dates said he sees Salem Baptist Church of Chicago as a global church. Their stand against racism rings hollow when in their next breath they reject theories that have been helpful in framing the problem of racism, he wrote, disappointed that the presidents would come together to speak out against it rather than turning their criticism toward other ills such a racism itself. Their seminaries have hosted outstanding guest faculty and chapel speakers outside of their norm. The head of the SBCs National African American Fellowship, which had raised concerns about the critical race theory statement a week ago, said he was saddened by the announcements. Its one thing to adore someone you dont have any personal relationship with. And I have loved various pastors like family; some have ministered to my family for DECADES, and have baptized, married, counseled, and even eulogized GENERATIONS of my family. I would think its a good thing that I can speak from personal experience with the Dates, instead of some sort of I read his book fan club adoration. Progressive Baptist Church. I think that there is a place in the body of Christ for large and small churches alike; I have been a member of both at various points in my walk with Christ, and can speak to the benefits and challenges of both. If tons and tons of people love them and how they make them feel thats pretty much a sign that they are doing the *opposite* of the Great Commission. Charlie earned an M.Div. And God has blessed us with our own son as the churchs next pastor. The SBCs power structure wants to maintain white dominance. I imagine they provide cover for the SBC leadership to further alienate Black and brown Christians who do not ascribe to their heritage of dangerous conservatism. The statement on critical race theory and intersectionality has soiled that good faith.. It was the first time to my knowledge that white evangelicals had celebrated in concert the life, memory and work of the Rev. What I benefit from is far greater than just a tip from him here or there; its more of a model of a life lived. Before his call to Progressive, he served as an apprentice pastor at New Zion Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois, and as a pastor at Salem Baptist Church in Chicago. How did they, who in 2020 still dont have a single Black denominational entity head, reject once and for all a theory that helps to frame the real race problems we face? Dates wrote in an op-ed Friday for the Religion News Service. Dates teaches at several universities and seminaries, including Wheaton College, and is popular on the speaking circuit. Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. Amen to thateven if the pastor in question is the Godliest guy on the planet to start with, which is seldom if ever the case. I left that conference feeling hopeful. They are ready to see their young adopt the very vestiges of hate that enslaved us in the name of Gods authoritative word. Part of what Im learning and discerning about Gods direction for ones life is to pay close attention to the bend of ones spiritual biography. Another thing is I dont think this dual assignment is in perpetuity. Sarah Einselen is an award-winning writer and editor based in Texas. The SBC experienced a 43 percent jump in majority-black churches between 1998 and 2002, compared to 11 percent over the most recent four years. We are partnering with The Chicago Partnership to present this opportunity to the South Side! Who thinks a half a pastor can shepherd a full church adequately?. Progressive Baptist Church is part of the Organizations industry, and located in Illinois, United States. But you seem determined to dismiss or belittle it in some sort of attempt to insult the Dates and me. As for me and the Progressive Baptist Church, I keep hearing the words of Harriet Tubman: We out.. (Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is the senior pastor at Chicagos Progressive Baptist Church. I believe now that the time has come for me to yield to a younger person.. It's time for us to bring in new families. If we in the SBC had shown as much sorrow for the painful legacy that sin has left as we show passion to decry CRT, we probably wouldnt be in this mess., Critical race theory isnt clearly defined, but generally refers to an approach to racism as systemic and embedded in society. Now we have 2 churches thinking only one particular man can lead them. James Meeks, founder and longtime senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church on the citys far South Side. Dates, 41, is a graduate of Salem's now-closed Salem Christian Academy. My acknowledgement of this is not a statement of submission, but an act of defiance. They both, in that regard, have a history of absolutely incredible pastors. Progressive was once, decades ago, the kind of leading force of churches on the South Side. But it would be foolish to assume its humanly possible to do this in and of myself. Charlie E. Dates was presented to the church in February 2011. Also, while there are many people in the comment section who rightfully call him to repent over it, there are plenty of others, including names such as Lecrae and Kyle J Howard, who tweeted their approval of his use of the slur. Gleannings aggregates what others are reporting. Rev. It took a while for it to reimagine and revitalize and become relevant again. Progressive Baptist Church, a century-old historically Black congregation, was briefly part of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). They are happy to have a Black chapel speaker, the occasional conservative Black professor whose classes are not taken seriously or a Black employee who never bucks against their notions of superiority. He shared a vision of revival. Everybody loves our old, respected leaders but I want to set an example that its okay to give the next generation an opportunity, Meeks adds. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Blessed to serve in the city in which he was born, Reverend Dr. Charlie E. Dates is Chicago through and through. To choose a successor Meeks says he and his wife, First Lady Jamell Meeks, prayed and fasted. Charlie Dates Has Led Progressive Baptist To choose a successor Meeks says he and his wife, First Lady Jamell Meeks, prayed and fasted. Sad, but not at all surprising. Two things. Dates to speak at your next event, please complete the Speaker Request form. Shes ready to work. As one Conservative Baptist Network member said, they must constantly repent but can never actually be forgiven., A group of Southern Baptist pastors released a statement Friday voicing their opposition to any movement in the SBC that seeks to distract from racial reconciliation through the gospel and that denies the reality of systemic injustices.. Ive learned there is an unwritten rule in the SBC: Dont criticize an entity head. Pretty sure there were no consequences whatsoever for him over it. After the neighborhood went dry, Walmart opened a store. 99% of these megachurch icons and celebrities were nowhere near as righteous as Smith to start with, and only continue to deteriorate from that starting point, with time and fame. and pro football. We want to walk with you and your family in every step of the way. He hijacked the affirmation meeting of the Baptist Faith & Message, turning it into a conservative resurgence revival. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". I can say Ive been called worse for going to white schools and belonging to white clubs, and Im kinda numb to it at my age. I plan to lead through leaders. James Meeks next year as senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church one of Chicago's biggest megachurches. He announced Sunday hell preach his last sermon to the 10,000-member church on January 8, 2023. 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. Dr. Charlie Dates became the youngest senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago in 2011 at age 30 and in January 2023, he became the senior pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. Im not saying that Im perfect, forever, for both churches. When I came to Progressive, it took me a while to actually get my feet under me because of some of the history and nature of the church, and it required a lot of patience and long-suffering initially. Warren announced his intention to retire last year after over 40 years of ministry and began the search for "the next-generation pastor.". Charlie Dates serves as the senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church and teaches at Moody Bible Institute as an adjunct professor. While continuing to lead Progressive Baptist, the 41-year-old pastor was named the successor to James Meeks at Salem Baptist Church, one of the citys biggest congregations. Im still surprised Charlie Dates wasnt forced to step down after he publicly used a racial slur against Virgil Walker on social media last year. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church. But Pastor Dates said, I know you probably dont like me right now, I can tell from how youre reacting to what Im saying; but Im not here to get you to like me. But what is liberal in the history of American Christianity? In 2020, Dates, married with two children, was among a number of black Christian church leaders to cut ties with the Southern Baptist Convention over a statement from the denomination's Council of Seminary Presidents denouncing racism and critical race theory. Meeks, 65, founded Salem in 1985 and grew it from 200 to 10,000 members. Woke Wars infiltrate Christian colleges, prof under fire for racial justice unit, Southern Baptists oust Rick Warrens Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor, Professor Joeckel on why his contract, teachings on racial justice are under review, Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. RELATED: Southern Baptist seminary presidents nix critical race theory. My relationship with him is dynamic. We want to see younger families come to our church and the last thing that we want is to stand in the way of that.". EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthur Shamed, Excommunicated Mother for Refusing to Take Back Child Abuser, Days-long Revival Sweeping Asbury University in Kentucky, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthur Covered Up Pastors Sexual Abuse, Witnesses Say, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthurs Church Supported Convicted Child Abuser & Pedophile, Records Show, Dante Bowe Posts, Then Removes, Apology for Behavior Causing Split with Maverick City Music, Matt Chandler Steps Aside After Admitting Inappropriate Online Relationship, John MacArthur Pulls Out of Ligonier Conference, Pastor Resigns From Houston Megachurch After Admitting Affair, Televangelist Creflo Dollar Renounces Past Teachings on Tithing, But Questions Persist. Dates added that the transition will start in January 2023. What I do sense is that theres still work to be done and vision to accomplish at Progressive at the same time that I begin my assignment at Salem. I wonder how many of them provide full time paychecks. And I recognize that. Dates preaches at the 2019 African American Preaching Conference. It is going to take an academic mind and a saved heart.". These churches are a gift. 3658 SOUTH WENTWORTH AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL, 60609, 773-268-6048 | INFO@PROGRESSIVECHICAGO.ORG. Ive seen healthy and unhealthy churches of all sizes. Thats the old SBC. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. I dont come out of thin air to either church; you can trace my lineage. Since then, conservative groups have been more vocal about what they see as an embrace of critical race theory and secular thinking by seminaries and denominational leaders, with the newly formed Conservative Baptist Network being among the most vocal opponents. It's time for us to bring in young people. Datess 100-year-old congregation only began affiliating with the SBC last year, joining as a dual affiliate with the Progressive National Baptist Convention, a mainline, African American denomination. Im just saying that at the juncture were in and being a son of the soil of Chicago and a son of Salem, and now having pastored Progressive, I just think I have a unique understanding and relational dynamic with both churches. Over the summer, Dates discussed with CT his frustration with the lack of diversity among SBCs recently appointed entity heads, all of whom are white men, and the inconsistent support for racial justice causes. Ill tell you: abolition, the womens suffrage movement, the civil rights movement, a Black U.S. president who was initially against partial-birth abortion, non-white male faculty at their seminaries and now a theory that uncovers our nations de jure and de facto segregation. If that is YOUR definition of ministering to someone (because that is the language I used, and you jumped to that conclusion), YOU need to revisit it. "Not only is he called, but he is qualified or educated. . Calling him "the greatest young preacher in our nation today," Rev. . "The Kingdom work is never to stop with one generation. And if you think it feels good, warm and fuzzy to be confronted about your sin when youre in the middle of grief, you are VERY mistaken. Again, amen to that. None of that is contingent upon Biblical Christianity (indeed, you say its not because of a sermon or book, meaning theology I assume). We haveI thinka very Paul and Timothy kind of relationship. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. No one knows. What other things do you want to highlight to your current and future congregations and the readers of CT? Return to homepage. But there is nothing wrong with loving those who I do have personal relationships with, and have really left an impact on my faith, family, and heart. Dates called him an Uncle Ruckus on twitter, which is a derogatory slur used to describe a black man that embraces the whiteness of society instead of resisting it. What is liberalism to the conservative Southern Baptists? In op-eds announcing their decisions to leave, Charlie Dates of Chicagos Progressive Baptist Church and Ralph D. West of Houstons The Church Without Walls both criticized SBC seminary presidents declaration that critical race theory was incompatible with the denominations statement of faith. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. You know, at one point, Progressive had the strongest and largest Christian discipleship ministry in the city. Our seminaries, many of them are in decline. Religion News Service reported that Fred Luter, the only black SBC president, signed on in agreement. "And God has blessed us with our own son who has agreed starting January 15th, 2023, to be the next pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago.". This was why I felt it safe to forge an alliance. But the church left in 2020 after SBC leaders rejected critical race theory en masse. And Progressive only has one location. Atlanta pastor John Onwuchekwa left the SBC over the summer due to concerns over its approach to racial issues. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. How are you hoping to continue to cultivate that with both congregations? In 2011, at age 30, Rev. When did the theological architects of American slavery develop the moral character to tell the church how it should discuss and discern racism? And if you have a testimony of the amazing things God is doing in your life through our ministry, please email it to info@progressivechicago.org. It does not store any personal data. The first challenge is getting the churches to sense that where God gives a vision, theres always provision. Not because of a sermon I heard from a distance or book that I read.. Theres something about the formation of my mind and my theological heart that is directly shaped by and impacted by watching all of that, and working in all of that, as I came of age, he said. Were living in a time where so many young people are walking away from the church and where church attendance numbers are in the dumps. I will admit to knowing very little about Charlie Dates, but what Gus Chiggins posted is extremely concerning. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Our PBC Teens are highly engaged in biblical teaching and discussion on how to navigate a Christian life amongst their peers. Just, wow. How has God moved and worked in ones life? And thats part of the beauty I think of this story. Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month. I want to be clear though, Im not saying Im the only Timothy he has, in the same way that Paul had others. Stephanie Martin, a freelance writer and editor in Denver, has spent her entire 30-year journalism career in Christian publishing. Charlie has 1 job listed on their profile. The specter of racial animus and theological arrogance was giving way to a new era of Christian leadership, I suggested. Progressives buildings were built without a dime of debt at a time where Black people could not get a loan from a bank. Last month, Dates joined the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast to talk about the need for solid Christian preaching during tough times. Comment below and let us know where you're watching fr. . Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago Pastor: Dr. Charlie E. Dates Website: www.progressivechicago.org Giving/Donations: https://progressivechicago.org/give IG: I am more of a vision-casting, preaching, pastoral care pastor. Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, IL. Chicago has rich Black churches throughout the South and West sides, in particular. @progressivechicago | @charliedates |. Dates also is an affiliate professor at Baylor Universitys George W. Truett Theological Seminary in Texas and at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, according to his bio. Cancel culture is wrong but shouldnt we have heard something about it at least? She loves the Word and words, is a binge reader and grammar nut, and is fanatic (as her family can attest) about Jeopardy! But there is nothing wrong with loving those who I do have personal relationships with, and have really left an impact on my faith, family, and heart.. Ill become senior pastor of both the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago and remain that at Progressive.. In 2011, at age 30, he became the youngest Senior Pastor in Progressive's rich 99-year history.